Hormonal Imbalance
by Ellisaed
Summary: Levi catches an awful virus, being put under strict quarantine, and is coping with both boredom and . . . mood swings. When his libido is thrown out of whack, and Eren Jäger is his only permitted visitor, what ensues causes his imbalance to shift in the right direction.
1. Chapter 1

Levi had just about enough. With everything.

Leave it to Erwin to lock him away in Head Quarters, left to his own devices, all over a stupid illness.

Levi rolled over in the single cot for the fiftieth time that minute, sighing to himself. It was quiet and still in his assigned medical ward, warm and comfortable like usual. It was terrible.

Levi groaned loudly, turning onto his stomach shoving his head between two pillows to shut out the light. It wasn't that he was tired. He was just sick of being awake. He was sick of everything.

Simply, he was sick. Why the _hell_ did he have to get sick?

Being no doubt the most hygienic person out of all the dirty humans in the mass of Survey Corps members - commanders, corporals, and cadets alike - Levi never let the thought cross his mind that he could even possibly be vulnerable to sickness. The filth in his room hadn't even a chance to settle before he eliminated it, let alone any kind of bacteria. Of course, when it came down to it Levi would swallow his dignity and get dirty. But being sick? It was hell.

The "virus" as Hanji soon dubbed it had began just a week prior, originating in a few of the younger cadets. _Filthy brats_, Levi thought in resentment, _Probably licked the floor for all I know_. It had spread two-and-tenfold, like a pandemic, and Levi hadn't been able to sleep at night: the sound of retching filled the hallways, and he stayed in the washroom, sleepless, all night.

Erwin claimed that was what made him sick in the first place. It had started taking a toll on him rapidly, and the blonde had picked up on it like he was some sort of hound. At first, he had hid it well, even from his own squad. Petra would sometimes give him that curious sidelong glance she gave him, but that was it. Besides for the occasional bout of nausea and blocked sinuses, it actually was not that terrible.

It got worse. A lot worse.

Levi had been leading a training session when he had been caught. He had been leading a group of the snot faced cadets in an evasive maneuvers course, trying not to let the obvious coarse undertone in his throat show as he shouted commands, plagued by a fever he claimed was only a migraine. Maybe it was the redness to his pale face, the sweat on his neck, the darker than usual darkness under his eyes, but Erwin had not even questioned what it was when Levi had reported back to him after the session.

"Levi, I'm ordering you to bed rest for the next ten days. Shed your gear and report to the medical floor immediately."

Levi hadn't protested at the time. According to Hanji, his fever was dangerously high, and he had rolled his eyes and mumbled something like "kiss my ass" before falling to his knees weakly and dropping to the grass, unconscious. He had made quite the scene, so she said.

And now, he was stuck in this small room for the next five days yet.

At another wave of sourness that swept through his insides, Levi kicked his sheets off, sitting up again, and fumbled for the bucket aside his cot. _Don't. Vomit._ He commanded his stomach. He hadn't eaten in a day, so it was not like anything would come up, but he had an irrational aversion to vomit itself. Levi closed his eyes, taking deep breaths until it passed.

It was safe to say he was in fact very sick. He felt like crap, and that was an understatement. He couldn't keep anything down besides water - warm water seemed better than cool water. The fever he was running hadn't quite broke, but was low grade and apparently not that dangerous, according to Hanji. The deranged four-eyes was acting as his personal nurse while the on-site doctor was "away" - complete fool to have left in the first place - and Levi didn't feel particularly safe under her care but appreciated the gesture.

Hanji was the only one allowed to see him, since she had already experienced the sickness and lived to tell, but when she came she only checked his temperature and ensured he was comfortable before leaving. The chances of spreading the illness was still high. Levi was technically on quarantine.

The first few days, besides for the feeling like crap, were glorious. It was quiet, and no one was around. He did not have to fake a smile at anyone - not like he usually did that anyway - he did not have to talk to anyone. Hell, he didn't even have to _look_ at anyone!

The novelty wore off fast. Soon, he was bored out of his goddamned mind. Every book in the room - which was only three or four - he had flipped through ten times. He couldn't clean because he wasn't allowed to strain himself. Erwin had dropped off some paperwork via Hanji Delivery System, but he had gotten through that in a half-hour.

There was nothing left to do.

At the reminder of that fact, Levi kicked the back of his foot angrily onto his cot, trying to get the emotion out somehow. His nausea passed, and he turned and lay on his side gently. _Who the hell did this to me? Some brat with no damn courtesy to wash their hands once a week. It was probably Hanji. Shitty glasses. _

Levi reached to his left, stretching sore muscles, and let the fleshy part of his fist meet the wall in a few feeble thumps. He didn't have the strength to roll over, but letting his emotions fester was not an option; he took a deep breath in, and back out.

The fever he was running was making him a bit . . . _off_ hormonally - according to Hanji, it was perfectly normal. Until his body got rid of the illness, the mood swings would come and go. Much to Levi's disgruntlement. She was right, though. One second he would feel perfectly fine with his current state. The next he would stand at his window and mentally plot the murder of the first cadet he saw wandering around the yards.

Sometimes Levi felt his eyes tear for no reason at all, and he'd let a few fall and then throw up, and then roll over, feeling fine again.

"It'll be like this for a while, but it'll pass quick." Hanji had told him, flipping through her pocket sized medical dictionary, "A high percentage of the ill had experienced heightened sensitivity and bouts of anger, sadness, etcetera. Oh, and you'll probably get some high testosterone levels here and there, that's normal."

"What?!"

"You know what testosterone is, right Captain? It's what makes your - "

"Yes. I know what it is." Levi had folded his arms, "I just . . . wasn't expecting you to say that."

"The best thing to do is to deal with any build up - "

"Build up?!"

"You know, an erection!"

"I knew what you meant, I just - "

Hanji opened her book to a page all about it, pointing to one of the illustrations, "All you have to do is - after proper lubrication, of course, - take your -"

"I know what to do! Will you shut up about it already?!"

Levi closed his eyes, trying not to think about the conversation, but it was too late.

"Shit," He mumbled, feeling the familiar warmth pool into his lower stomach and uncomfortably between his legs. He sat up again, placing the cloth aside his cot on the back of his neck to cool down.

None of Hanji's stupid theories had held true - for the first two days. Lately, and frequently, he had been getting the unexplainable waves of . . . _want_. For what, he didn't even really know.

Frankly, his own sexuality had been shoved to the back burner most of his life. His sexual backstory would be as thin as a pamphlet, He didn't think about it. He knew he would never settle down with anyone anyways - they were fighting a war, and he didn't have the time or means or desire. Well, desire in one sense of the word.

Yes, he was like any other normal human being with sex hormones and the natural urge to reproduce. What made him different was that he had never acted on his urges, not even when he was younger and much more prone to this type of thing than he was at his current age.

Levi had been experiencing bouts of burning lust he could barely control. They would come on frequently, strong, and sudden, and the sweat on his skin would grow worse and hot. It was like he was a teenager again. It was uncomfortable and irritating, like a cramp, aching to be released. The easiest thing to do would be to just get rid of the problem, but Levi was stubborn. He refused to touch himself. It was filthy and tedious and it made a mess. Besides, he wasn't even sure how people went about it. He didn't know what to think about. He instead would curl up on his cot, close his eyes and mentally shut down until the feeling passed.

It nearly drove him insane. Even stupid thoughts could trigger it. He was cooped up in this tiny room with nothing left to do, and all his brain could think of was getting off.

Levi was disgusted by himself.

The cool cloth did nothing to quell the warmth that was now spreading over his skin. He felt sweat bead on his forehead, and he collapsed boneless on his cot again. This is what happened - it only got worse the more he ignored it. This is why Hanji said to deal with it.

"What a damn lunatic." Levi said to himself, staring at the ceiling. He was flat on his back, waiting out the flush that had covered him. The sheets were soft, freshly cleaned, but it did not soothe him as it sometimes did. He tossed to the left, curling his knees close to his chest, eyelids dropping closed.

If he were lucky, he could try to rest a while . . .

* * *

><p>A soft knocking was heard at the door.<p>

Levi came out of half sleep and rolled over, wiping the stickiness of unconscious saliva from the corner of his lip. He strained to raise his heavy head, seeing the sun was just beginning to set; he had half-slept for only an hour or so. It felt like only a fragment of a second. He still felt tired.

When nothing else was heard at the door, Levi sighed in annoyance. He knew, since the person didn't barge in with no idea of decency, that it wasn't Hanji. That meant it must have been the only other person that was allowed to see him.

". . . Captain Levi sir? Are you awake?"

Eren Jäger's voice sounded only a little more than some sort of scared school kid from behind the door, and Levi rolled his eyes. What was he doing here - _again_?

Levi rolled over, dropping his head into his pillow as he called toward the door in a coarse voice. "Jäger. Go play with your friends."

"Section Leader Hanji sent me sir, with your medicine. She said to deliver it to you. Should I come in - ?"

"One minute."

Levi sat up and pushed himself to stand, taking slow steps until he reached the door handle. His legs felt unstable and weaker than usual. _I'm like a toddler_, he thought, seeing how his hand trembled as he turned the door knob. _Pathetic_.

Levi raised his brows at the sight behind the door.

Eren Jäger stood, clutching a silver spoon in one hand and a mysterious brown flask in the other. By the way he was dressed, it looked like he had been cleaning, a rag tied around his neck and his brunette hair a bit disheveled. The kid smiled at him, green eyes wide.

"Captain! You're looking better!"

"Tch. Don't lie to your superiors."

"S-sorry." Eren stuttered, "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit."

A nod followed, agreeing without admitting so. It was silent as he waited a moment, looking over Levi's shoulder curiously, and meeting his eyes again. His tone reflected his impatience.

"Can I come in?"

"Like I told you before, I'm still contagious." Levi said flatly, "You shouldn't come in."

"I've already caught it! I was one of the first ones, and Hanji tested me while monitoring my sickness and said that I'm neither contagious or vulnerable. She's been taking so many blood tests, but she's trying to develop a vaccine to use in illness prevention for next year, when the weather changes, because that's when she said the virus was - "

"Alright, alright, just come in." Levi pulled the door open a bit more to let Eren inside; he mostly did so to make the brat to shut up. His babbling was probably all a lie, but Levi didn't have the strength enough to ask.

Eren's reluctance was obvious, hands wrung around the other, eyes skittish, but he stepped inside and closed the door behind him as Levi stumbled to rest, back arched, on the edge of his cot again.

_Stupid Hanji. Why didn't she just deliver the medicine herself? Why send Jäger, of all people? _

Levi knew exactly why, though. Jäger was still under the scrutinizing eye of the officials in the inner walls, and hadn't been permitted to participate in training - or even with the regular activities of the new recruits - at all. Most of his days were spent with Hanji, running experiments and going with her to her investigations of those two stupid Titans she called her pets. Levi was surprised the kid hadn't gone stark raving mad from being around her all day; he felt sorry for him, a little.

That was why the other day, the first time the brat had knocked on his door, he had considered letting him in. For a minute. Then his brain decided that was the worst damn idea ever, and he had instead thrown a book at the door and cursed a phrase loudly, hearing footsteps run off.

That feeling of pity returned to him at that moment, for treating Eren like that. It wasn't the brats fault he was hormonal, or sick. The kid cared, a little too much at times, but he was a dedicated soldier trapped in this whole stupid Titan situation he still couldn't even explain. And he was probably just bored.

They were at least similar in that way.

The past two days, Eren had come to keep him company somehow, whether it be reading or talking or cleaning for him. Levi would not lie, listening to the kid tell him some boring story was certainly better than staring at the ceiling in silence for an entire afternoon. At least a little better.

But the kid being here, now, only made his . . . _situation_ more uncomfortable. Levi sucked in air through his teeth, feeling another wave wash over him, hot and desperate. A soft throbbing was felt between his legs, a crude reminder. He hadn't been able to sleep it off this time, and it got worse at every beat of his crescendoing heart rate. Hanji would be furious at him.

All he had to do was take the meds, and the kid would leave. Simple.

Eren ensured to remove his dirty boots and rag-scarf and set them by the door, glancing back to see the Captain sitting on the edge of his cot, staring off into a wall. Hanji had ensured him the sickness would pass. Eren had already seen a few of his friends recover in no time. Levi must have been a bit more fragile.

The captain looked especially small when he was sick. Eren had never seen him that way, and it concerned him. He was thinner and paler, though the pink hue to his neck made it clear he was probably feverish.

Strolling over toward the cot slowly, Eren pulled up the chair beside the bed and scooted it closer.

Levi turned his head toward him, but didn't meet his eyes. His tone was still very soft and coarse, "Don't get too close."

"As long as you don't sneeze on me or anything I'm fine!" Eren said, in hopes to rouse a smile from the man.

Levi disagreed.

"No guarantee."

"This stuff works well for that." Eren held up the bottle of medicine, unscrewing the lid as he spoke, "It'll have you killing Titans again in no time."

"What the _hell_ is it?"

Levi stared at the liquid the kid poured from the brown bottle onto a spoon. It came out slowly since it was thick and sticky, but it was smooth and it had a clearish-white hue; it looked a lot like -

_God_, Levi cut the thought off, cursing his damned libido. _It's just medicine. Get a hold of yourself_.

Eren continued to fill the spoon, oblivious to the man's predicament, "Hanji made it, out of some herbs and a mixture of other things. I had it, and at first it was gross but it's not too bad. She said its called "_make Levi better_" medicine."

Eren pointed the spoon in his direction, waiting for him to lean forward and take it. The thought of taking that _liquid_ into his mouth, feeling it on his tongue, lit him on fire.

Levi's stomach turned, feeling nauseated from the heat that literally smothered him. The situation was probably the furthest thing from arousing, but at that moment it was the closest thing to it; he felt like he was going to explode. Levi stared out of the corner of his eyes, trying to force it all away, shoving his hands into his lap to try and cover any possible evidence of his problem.

"It smells alright to me." Eren encouraged him again, "Try it."

Why was the brat so stubborn?

"I'll pass. Go take it back and tell Hanji I had some." Levi started to pick himself back up and lie down again - partially to hide the increasing bulge between his loose sleep pants - but Eren made a sound of protest.

"Captain. I'm supposed to make sure you have at least a spoonful."

"I don't need any of Shitty-Glasses' healing potions."

"Have a small taste!" Eren extended the spoon out until the edges rested painfully close to Levi's lips.

The man reached up to gently push the spoon away, "I - "

Eren moved from his chair to the floor, kneeling in front of him. Their faces were inches apart, and Levi was forced to meet the bright green eyes before him. Eren's voice was soft, tone gentle and the words deliberate, "Please, Captain. You're sweating, you're probably running a high fever. This will help."

Levi thought his heart would burst from his chest. Was Eren doing this on purpose, or was he really that oblivious? He knew it was the latter. The kid was full of surprises, and the fact that he was partially unaware of personal boundaries and oblivious to the utter submission he was showing wasn't shocking. Again, it wasn't inherently arousing to the common eye, his hormones were functioning at a hypersensitive state.

All Levi wanted was to just feel someone touch his fevered body, to smell the scent of skin, to rest against someone. That was all he needed, and he could calm down. Eren's lips were literally a slight lean away from his own; if the kid didn't get away from him, _right_ _then_, Levi knew he would do something he'd regret.

Eren lifted the spoon higher, still meeting his eyes with that headstrong look and drawn brow.

"Heichou," - the way he said his name made it worse - "please, just take it."

"E-Eren - "

Levi's eyes widened reflexively, holding his breath as the spoon entered his mouth, unannounced. The feeling of wanting to vomit and desperately needing to release the tension billowing fire in his belly came all at once. His body reacted by instinct, standing up on trembling legs and stumbling into the small washroom adjacent to the main ward of his room. Levi just barely managed to position himself before the white basin inside, spitting up what part of the medicine made it down his throat, retching as his empty stomach vomited again. His hands gripped the edges of the cool basin, taking short breaths, still filled with adrenaline.

Levi heard footsteps run after him and halt in the doorway, but he felt too weak to even turn his head. When the socked feet left and returned again, this time a cup of water was lowered into his eyesight. Levi took it wordlessly and began to rinse his mouth. Bile burned on his tongue, and the contents in the basin were a mixture of something awful. _Filthy_.

The brats voice filled his ears, on the brink of tears by the sounds of it. "I'm so sorry, Captain, I didn't think - "

"It's fine." Levi lied through his teeth, spitting in between words. His vision was dizzy, his stomach ached, he was burning hot and freezing cold - he was a mess.

"No it isn't! I shouldn't have forced it on you like that, you probably were feeling sick but didn't want to say. I'm sorry for being such a nuisance, I only wanted to help but I'm just making things worse - !"

Levi reached his hand over to the one dangling by Eren's thigh and placed it atop gently, wrapping his thin but strong fingers around the wrist.

That shut the kid up quickly.

There was a wash of release that came with the contact to his cool skin. Levi closed his eyes momentarily. Every muscle in his stomach grew rigid, and he curled forward in response; a short huff escaped his lips, unable to deny the sensation calmed down his overactive hormones, quelling them at bay for even just that moment, and it was a genuine relief.

Eren did not flinch at the touch of the man's burning palm, nor did he pull his hand away. "H-heichou?"

Levi looked up to him. Eren didn't look scared, or uncomfortable. There was a palpable anticipation hovering around them, trapped and suffocating in the tiny washroom, as they both waited for one another to move.

Alarm signals went off in Levi's head as the fuzziness of his previous emotions wore off. He released his grip on the boys hand, adjusting to sit in an exhausted crouch on the floor. He put his aching head in his hands, and managed in as loud of a voice that he could muster, "Get out."

"I'm sorry," Eren repeated, moving closer to try and help the man back to his feet and into bed again, "I promise I'll - "

"I said get the hell out, brat!"

And just like before, the footsteps told Levi the kid was gone.

Levi squeezed his eyelids until he saw flecks of light in the blackness. His heart still raced from the post-coital buzz that spiked through him. He felt the annoying, lingering and unavoidable shame sitting heavily like a weighted pack on his shoulders, and he cursed through his teeth openly.

_Damn kid. Now I have to change these pants._


	2. Chapter 2

Hello again! I'm so glad this little fic has gotten so much positive response so far; thank you to everyone who read and left feedback!  
>Now this is a warning - this chapter is a considerable amount more detailed right from the start so if that isn't your thing just scroll to the first line break (but hey, I put it in the warning so yeah) or, you know, enjoy the steaminess! You have been warned!<p>

***UPDATE: Thanks to the reviewers who gave me a heads up, this site bugs out sometimes when I copy and paste new content onto docs, this had happened TONS of times (and is very irritating cough cough) so sorry for all the random numbers and letters - HERE'S the real chapter!***

* * *

><p><em>". . . Eren . . ."<em>

_The whisper was like the warmth of an embrace, edged with a sharp desperation that cut and tingled all over. It made his body ache everywhere in want. The sound of his name made him hot, mouth watering with lust. It was not just sound of his own name, but the voice who spoke it._

_"Heichou - "_

_Eren groaned, feeling sensation run down the front of his abdomen. A long, gentle finger, tracing down his tensed muscles._

_"Keep your eyes closed."_

_Eren felt them, his eyes, flutter instinctively, anticipating something. His closed eyes rolled lazily, uncontrollably, and he did not need to see to know what was occurring. He sense the breath of someone just above him, he felt the soft of something beneath him. The scent that came from freshly cleansed skin was present. The sensation of the finger ran lower, even the small of the tip hot on his skin. The tender area above his groin was soon stroked. Mercilessly teased._

_"Feel good?"_

_Eren nodded, "Yes sir . . . "_

_When the ministrations continued isolated, just centimetres away from his member that screamed for attention, Eren asked, softly, timid._

_"Please . . ."_

_"How much will you beg for me?"_

_"Sir?" "How long and hard and desperately will you beg for me to touch you?"_

_"Please, sir . . . please - "_

_The voice dropped, lips only a breath from his ear. "My finger is resting just above your erection, on that soft spot below your bladder. It's warm and pink. I'm being careful that I don't brush against you."_

_Eren bit his lip._

_"You must be excited. Your erection bobs up, hitting your stomach. It's rosy and the tip is weeping. The veins along the bottom pulse faster and faster - "_

_"Please, Captain, touch me - "_

_"- the way your muscles twitch tell me you are aching to give in -"_

_Eren writhed, his back arching. He was unable to resist moving his right hand to grip himself for just a moment, only a moment, but the hands above him captured it first in a firm grip. He felt the other wrist being grabbed as well._

_"Eyes closed." The voice demanded, low and solemn. As intoxicating as musk, smooth and dark and incredibly sexy. "Don't move."_

_". . . yes sir."_

_Eren's hands gripped the sheets, trying his best not to flinch, trying not to imagine the body hovering above his own and the dark eyes that were examining him._

_"I want to lower my warm mouth around you, to grab you with one hand and dip my head until you touch the back of my throat. I want to feel your hardness on my lips, to cradle you with my tongue, to taste your sweet skin and suck you off until you're thrusting into me . . . and to swallow all of you."_

_"I want you to . . ." Eren was losing his breath, anticipation feverish, "Please, please sir - "_

_"What do you want?"_

_"I want you."_

_The finger above his erection paused. "Hmm, not very convincing."_

_"Please - "_

_"Try again."_

_Frustrated and desperate for pent-up relief, Eren squeezed his eyes shut and shouted. "Put me inside your mouth!"_

_". . . I'm listening."_

_"Put me inside . . . I want to be inside you." Eren managed, even spouting the words causing him to nearly buck his hips in excitement. He forced himself to continue, "Put your lips around me, as deep as they can go. I want to feel your hot tongue touch me all over . . . I want to thrust into you, to feel you tense around me, to suck me . . . I need to, I-I need to come inside of you, please let me come inside of you - "_

_"Shh . . . "_

_Eren felt a finger, this time resting on his lips._

_"Please who?"_

_". . . please, Heichou - "_

* * *

><p>"Ow, damn it!"<p>

Eren cursed, both from the sharp sudden pain and the fact that he his mind had drifted off again. He pulled his hand back from the handle of the broom sharply and let it clatter to the floor; his thumb was brought up to his mouth quickly, sucking on the little sliver that had got caught under the skin. He didn't dare to see if it were bleeding . . .

Eren waited a moment, and when nothing but the silence that was the inside of Head Quarters and the rhythm of his heart occurred, he breathed a bit easier. Even the smallest cuts and bumps could trigger his Titan form, whether he liked it or not. He had been distracted - rather, completely overtaken by a daydream - again.

The boy pulled his cleaning rag down off of his chin, having paused the gentle sweep strokes he had assumed as he strolled slowly down another one of HQ's numerous long hallways. He had already gone up and down twice, and there was still a good amount of dirt left on the old wooden floors. It was an upper level, lined with small rooms, and even though it was unused for sleep dorms or even offices he had still be tasked to clean it.

Hanji had given him the instruction while hunched over at her desk in mid-examination of something pushed close to her nose, supposedly important, in her office, and it had been a half-hearted command that translated simply as "go do something, I'm busy". Eren knew she was getting just as bored with him as he was with her - which happened a lot with anything Hanji stuck around too long with - and he pretended that the task was actually important and tried to do his best.

Acting as Commander Hanji's assistant as of late was not exactly what Eren had signed up for when he joined the Survey Corps. Being half-Titan also had not been on his list of career aspirations, but there was little he could do to change how circumstances had become. He tried to accept his current position with dignity, and dedication. Sure, it wasn't Titan training but at least he was furthering the cause for humanity . . . even though he wasn't really making anything relatively cleaner. Besides, it did not even distract him, not anymore.

"Hell, what's the point!" Eren mumbled, subconsciously gripping the handle of the broom tighter.

Maybe it was because he was so bored that his thoughts had a mind of their own, but there was no use denying it anymore, not after what had happened. Nothing could distract him from Corporal's words.

"Get out."

"I'm sorry, I promise I'll - "

"I said get the hell out brat!"

Eren Jäger had never been one to be easily offended. But the sting of rejection still lingered in his mind, sharp and furious as Heichou's voice, and he could not shake it. Along with it, there were thoughts of the man in a completely different light - one that made him blush upon the notion of thinking about it. Eren did not have a dirty imagination, at least not on purpose, but his mind had been getting very creative lately and Captain Levi was being especially glamorized. To any of the other cadets Levi was simply a militaristic, unapproachable, always serious superior. Eren saw him as a quiet, intelligent and surprisingly thoughtful man. The fact that these two branches of thought somehow existed simultaneously baffled Eren. Either way, his brain was infatuated with the thought of Corporal Levi.

Eren couldn't say when it had started, because it felt like it had always been there, even before he knew Corporal Levi. That natural sense of respect and awe of a strong, domineering figure, not much unlike to what his father could have been to him. But in a different and strange way, that he couldn't explain. Of course he kept this to himself, and did his best to act like the feelings did not exist at all.

Armin Arlert had been his only confide as of late, unable to hold back his anxiety about the Captains outbursts. The blonde knew the bare details and had shrugged it off as fatigue or stress anger. Eren, however, could not do the same. He still was not sure if his behaviour yesterday deliberately angered Levi or not. It was such a stupid split-second decision, to grovel on his knees before the man, to get so close to him. Eren knew, if he had waited a moment longer, he would have tried to kiss him.

Eren suspected that Levi had seen the notion in his eyes. And what bothered him the most was that it appeared that Levi looked almost like possibly . . . he wanted to do the same.

"Stupid, stupid . . . " Eren hit his forehead with the base of his palm, backing up to lean against the wall.

Of course, it was a useless thought. Eren hated the idea, but he knew he was still naive about this whole thing. He had never kissed anyone, let alone come as close as he had been yesterday, and didn't even know how. As well, Eren knew Levi would sooner kick him in the groin than engage in a lip-locking session with him.

What he did not know was how he would ever show his face to the man again, to meet the dark eyes and somehow find forgiveness - or at the least, tolerance within. Eren felt unimportant. He felt ashamed. He felt guilty, and damn it that was the worst feeling of all.

Nothing could distract him from this myriad of thoughts. Not cleaning, not reading, and definitely not sleeping. Not since he had started having dreams again -

Eren closed his eyes momentarily. Focus. Stop thinking about him. Stop acting like a damn hormonal teenager!

He stooped down to retrieve the broom he had dropped and continue his task, but the sound of knocking heard from inside the room to his left caught his attention. "Eren!" The voice was muffled, but Eren could recognize it easily enough.

". . . Armin?"

Eren glanced back, over his shoulder, slightly surprised to see the usually timid blonde hanging bravely in front of the window, with assistance from his ODM gear. Armin's blue eyes joined his smile when he spotted him, knocking his knuckles gently on the glass again, and Eren ran to slide the window open for him.

"Did I surprise you?" Armin asked, voice high with excitement.

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting to see you here," Eren mused, a smile finding him at his friends cheerfulness, even if it was only momentary. Armin was always good at distracting him, and was glad he showed up.

The outside air was dry and clean, and Eren squinted up at Armin in the faint sun that glared behind him. He hadn't been outside for a long while - heck, he'd only been allowed to step out of the dank old basement just a week ago.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Training silly!"

"Are you and the others still working on ODM performance routines?"

"No, Commander Mike was running an aerial assistance session - making sure we can all perform with our maneuver gear efficiently at high altitudes - and he lead us behind HQ up a giant tree, all the way to the top! I thought I would faint, but Mikasa made me hold her hand so that she wouldn't loose her balance, so I was okay."

Eren scoffed, easily able to imagine Armin trembling from the top of a tree clutching onto Mikasa's hand for dear life, and knew she had probably let Armin do it for his own sake and not her own. He didn't say this out loud.

"The Commander let my group freestyle for a while, scaling the sides of Head Quarters." Armin said, one hand clutching his cable and the other pointing out a few others that crawled and hopped playfully across the old building. "Then I spotted you!"

"Mhm."

"What are you doing? Cleaning?"

Eren nodded as he sat on the edge of wooden sill, and Armin lowered himself to join him, saddling the edge face-to-face with Eren. He could hear the voice, but he was elsewhere in his thoughts. Again.

"Hey."

"Mhm."

"What's wrong?"

"Wrong?!" Eren exclaimed, self-conscious suddenly. Was he that obvious about it? It didn't help that he felt his ears grow hot, and he glowered and lowered his chin, "Nothing's wrong - "

"Did Corporal Levi yell at you or something?"

Eren only met Armin's eyes because he was too shocked not to. No, it was not that he was being obvious, it was that Armin always knew. Always.

Armin raised his eyebrows, wonder lighting his eyes, and Eren couldn't lie to the pale-faced innocent in front of him. He had never been able to, and that would probably never change. Eren let the secret remain so for another moment before whispering. ". . . yes."

"Did he throw something at you this time?"

"No."

"Well, that's an improvement - "

"No, it's not, it's even worse than before!" Eren turned and tented his elbows atop his knees, allowing a perfect place to hide his eyes. He heard Armin still, consoling him. "You over analyze things, just -"

"He held my hand."

The silence confirmed that even Armin Arlert had no immediate answer to the dilemma. "What?"

"Yesterday he . . . he grabbed on to my hand."

". . . On purpose?"

Eren sent Armin a glare of impatience. The blue eyes that looked back at him still held that innocence, and he realized he was not joking. Armin was honestly just as confused as he was. Which made him feel way worse.

"Yes, but right after that was when he yelled at me." Eren replied softly, only out of necessity. Even then he racked through his brain, wrestling with the memory, "To make a long story short, I exacerbated his condition, but I was only trying to help . . . he didn't exactly grab me either, it was like . . . he reached out to me. And took my hand in his."

Eren subconsciously glanced down to his left hand, recalling that feeling of the warm, damp skin embraced around his own. He clenched his fist in frustration.

"Eren, this doesn't make any sense - why would Corporal Levi show affection in that way and then get angry with you - "

"Why would I ask you if I knew the answer already Armin?!"

Eren heard the edge to his exclamation ring around the empty room in the silence. He immediately regretted it, wincing at the sound of Armin shifting anxiously beside him.

"I'm sorry - "

"No, no." Eren sat upright again, shaking his head. He tried to console the look of regret in his friends eyes, "I shouldn't have shouted at you. It's not you whom I'm angry with. It's myself. I'm such an idiot sometimes, even now! I should have just asked Corporal why, why the hell he held my hand for, but I was a coward."

The sensation of warmth found his forearm in the shape of a small hand. Armin patted him gently, voice soft in understanding, "Don't take it to heart, Eren. From what I know about the sickness, it is common for mood swings to occur."

"Mood swings?"

"Sudden emotional changes often provoke sudden reactions in the human body. What were you doing when Captain Levi held your hand?"

Eren didn't skip a beat, knowing the moment off by heart, "He was bent over the washbasin, getting sick, and I was standing by his side, apologizing, and he reached over and grabbed my hand."

"The Corporal may have been looking for immediate comfort. It's pretty obvious that he knew he could receive that from you. He trusts you."

Those words caught Eren's attention. The irritating fluttering of uncertainty in his stomach was quelled in slight, the word trust like a soothing balm over Heichou's burn of rejection. The idea that his actions were spurred out of a mutual sense of trust made Eren feel better than he had in a long while; unknowingly, a soft smile crept over him.

"You mean . . . he's probably not mad at me?"

"Well, I'm guessing he's embarrassed. He's hardly the emotional type, and to suddenly reach out to you like that must have made him uncomfortable." Armin laughed gently, "You know, he could possibly like you - "

"Don't tease!"

"I mean, you are pretty strong - in your Titan form, of course - "

"Cut it out!" Eren nudged him with the toe of his shoe, and Armin's hands flew to the edge of the window sill in a flash like a frightened kitten, eyes wide.

"Don't!"

"Who's Titan form will it be saving you when you fall? Not mine!"

"You're gonna knock me off!"

"Relax, your gear is still attached!"

"Still, gear malfunctions are one of the highest contributors to the rising mortality rate of Members of the Survey Corps - "

Eren laughed, and nudged him again.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you new and returning readers!_

_A few little notes: There is mention of Shakespeare, I know its probably not canon, don't kill me. Enjoy your fill of grumpy sick Levi in this chapter! Also, this "experiment" will be taking place in the very near future (cough next chapter) so stay tuned!_

**DISCLAIMER**

I do not own/claim to own AOT or any of its characters (I do, however, like to imagine that I do ...)

* * *

><p>"Eren Jäger."<p>

Commander Erwin Smith's reaction to the name was subtle, if it could be classified as a reaction at all. It was not that he was not surprised - he very much so was - but he had already heard enough foolish talk for one day and didn't want to waste his energy on putting a face.

Erwin scratched the back of his neck, a stall tactic. He wanted to wait the statement out, just to test Hanji's sanity.

Commander Hanji had been in his office for only thirty seconds, but already looked impatient to leave. Her brown eyes were sharp and narrowed in solemnity, her thinner pair of circular glasses resting on her nose. The impatience was notable, considering it was well past curfew hours, but she had been the one nagging to meet with him. Even so, on a good day she could not stand Erwin's irritating silences, and this certainly was not the best day.

Seeing how Hanji still stood her ground, Erwin sighed. The Commander took a sip from the tea on his desk - which he drank mainly to keep himself awake - before he decided to reply.

"Eren Jäger?"

"Yes!"

"He is the reason you require a private meeting with me? Did the boy finally refuse to take part in your unorthodox experimentations - " "

No dummy! You remember what I've been telling you about Cadet Jäger, right Erwin?"

"Should I?"

Hanji groaned, grabbing the head of the chair before Erwin's desk and spinning it around to saddle it.

Hanji had been on duty since before dawn, both as resident nurse and as scientist, wiping runny noses and emptying sick buckets while still on an honest search for a remedy of this wretched illness. The fatigue was traceable in the darkness below her eyes, but it was faint; her usual feverish excitement outshone it.

Erwin had tasked her with the job ever since the resident doctor had been called to the inner Walls, seeing how quickly their garrison was becoming more like a general hospital, and he did commend her efforts greatly. It was always a straining task to be the head of an operation, as the Commander knew well, and Hanji was taking it well, in her own . . . curious sort of way. So far, she had personally taken blood, urine and swab samples of half of the declared sick, with half still to go. She had gone through each of the patients symptoms nearly hour by hour and compared them the best she could; since all information was collected second hand, it was a tedious and rather redundant task.

Erwin had not voluntarily wanted to learn about this information, but he knew it was his task to release a report to the higher ups, and it was his preference to do so with good news and not bad.

Bad news, however, seemed to be the trending wave. Not only had the number of cadets healthy enough for active duty dropped nearly in half, those who were at attention were only still recovering from the illness and susceptible to weakness. Worse yet, Corporal Levi had come down with a fever, one worse than even his initial had been. Hanji had reported little success so far on the medicinal side of the matter, and Erwin was beginning to feel useless as well as incredibly frustrated.

And for some reason, all Hanji wanted to talk about was Jäger?

"I updated you on his condition three days ago," Hanji began, oblivious to Erwin's half-attentive stare, "The average soldier suffers from our resident illness for a period of seven to fourteen days. When Eren came down with the virus, he was back in full health after merely sixteen hours. Sixteen hours Erwin!"

"Impressive." Erwin sipped his tea again.

"Damn right, it's impressive! I'm still not sure if it's his Titan shifting tendencies that allow his body to be kept at optimum health, but as I already told you any attempt inoculate other cadets with Eren's blood samples have failed miserably."

"I don't see why this is important enough to keep me past hours - "

"I haven't gotten to the good part yet!" Hanji's voice brightened in excitement, hands gripping the edge of the chair fiercly, and Erwin feared the fabric would tear. "Now it's an obvious fact that Titans have the unique ability to heal, and create new limbs or other body parts when their own are severed, with zero aid or even conscious effort. This same principle applies to Eren. The idea that his body can create antibodies out of pure need is extraordinary! And it's something I believe we can tap into, for the benefit of research. I have an experiment to do, but I will need your written consent to do so."

Wasn't it always for the benefit of research? Erwin had put up with two very rowdy and dangerous Titans, tied behind headquarters like stray dogs, for the benefit of research. He had put Eren Jäger through a whole lot of Hanji hell for the benefit of research. And in turn, the research had benefitted nothing back.

It was safe to say that the excuse was no longer swaying him.

Erwin rose gently, moving to his shelf to retrieve a folder of papers, "Pardon my intrusion Hanji, but as you know we have the pressing matter of curing our soldiers to attend to. I am reluctant to put this task on hold, even for Jâger. How is this research any different than your other futile ventures?"

The silence that replied made Erwin pause, wishing in slight he hasn't phrased his words so harshly. He glanced over his shoulder to see the woman, still sitting at attention but with the candlelight burning bright reflections on her glasses. There had been a chord struck inside of her at his words, summoning solemnity like a spark. Her hands had relaxed on the arms of the chair, though her words were firm and gripped the air tightly.

"My research is for the sake of humanity. I would never embark on the study of something I did not wholeheartedly believe would further humanity's cause - even if it meant going against what I believe is ethical or morally acceptable."

Hanji met his eyes.

"If there is a way that I can determine how our enemy ticks, we are giant leaps forward toward the regaining of our dignity inside these pathetic Walls. What I am doing, I am doing for the freedom of humankind."

Erwin raised his brows, somewhat at the solemnity that weighed upon her words, somewhat at the terse expression on her face. Despite his frequent misgivings, this was exactly why he respected her - and Levi, for that matter. Though unorthodox as they may be there was next to nothing that would stop them from achieving mankind's ultimate desire.

The Commander gave Hanji a nod of understanding, finding his seat opposite of her and beginning to scribble down a short authorization sheet for the sake of documentation. "Very well, Section Commander. I trust your judgement in this matter above all others. Please, proceed."

It was like a light switch turned her entire body on, back to the hyperactive state she was buzzed on even at this hour, and Hanji grinned and clasped her hands together happily. Erwin doubted how these two personas existed simultaneously, and felt suddenly that he had been fooled into submission. A scowl found his face.

"Aw, you act tough, Danchou, but I knew you would understand!"

"Were you making all that up just to get me to agree with you - "

"So, Jäger and his bodies ability to create has the potential of unlocking a whole new realm of medical science! My experiment is merely speculation and the tip of the iceberg, but it's branching on revolutionary if my theories are correct."

That almost devilish look glinting in her eyes gave Erwin an edge of caution, whilst also fuelling his curiosity. Whatever she had in store, he had just agreed to it. The blonde sighed, leaning back in his chair a little and preparing himself to receive a lengthy lecture.

"Enlighten me, Commander."

* * *

><p>The kid returned the next day.<p>

Levi's fever had gone down to a more manageable level, according to Hanji during her daily check up, and was expected to decrease as the week went on. His body still ached and his headache lingered, but Levi felt less nauseous and more like himself.

That's why when Eren rapped softly on his door, he decided to let him in. Partially because he felt bad about their parting yesterday, and partially because he brought a broom with him and offered to sweep. The dust in the old room was driving him insane, and he couldn't say no. It was probably a bribe - probably a bribe thought up by Hanji, no doubt - but Levi didn't care.

Levi turned his head again toward Eren, who was still methodically creating a small pile of dirt in the middle of the floor. His sweep strokes were slow and careful, groomed into him from the many rebukes his previous cleaning skills had received. The funny warmth of pride that hit him caused Levi to almost smile. Even though the brat was mostly subpar at what he could do, he never gave up until he succeeded. It was an enviable stubborn dedication, and it proved results.

Why the hell am I being so sentimental? Levi thought, and realized just as he did, rolling his eyes at himself. Damn these hormones.

They had, unlike the other symptoms of his sickness, gotten a bit worse. Hanji, who had been keeping track of literally everything concerning his illness - everything, mind you, was no understatement - forced every detail about his mood swings out of him each day. Apparently, they were rather spastic and hard to chart.

"They aren't affected by nutrition, fatigue, or physical activity. They follow no clear pattern, aren't particular to a certain time of day, and vary in their length of affecting your body." Hanji had cited the information from her notebook, "They seem to be more frequent when your fever's running high, but that's the only specific I can find. Oh! Maybe they're affected by brain activity! Can you recall exactly what you're thinking when your mood swings occur?"

"Hell no. And it's not affected by that. Sometimes I get sad about the stupidest shit, like the windows or the sunlight."

"Hmm, interesting." She had scribbled the words down, "What do you feel is your most frequent occurring emotional state?"

At that moment, Levi had hesitated. He had said that it was anger. Hanji had laughed, not surprised, and soon finished up his checkup.

He had lied. Truly, it was his damn libido that was overwhelming him. Overwhelming him to the point that sleeping it off did nothing, that he was almost constantly sheen with feverish sweat, skin sensitive and hot and desperate for someone to touch him. And of course, he did not dare do anything about it.

Levi hadn't lied about it because he was embarrassed; the last thing he wanted was Hanji poking and prodding at him, especially how she had reacted about it earlier. Hell, she would probably even insist to assist him in the matter. He wanted to handle the problem himself.

Having the brat around seemed to help. Eren's presence distracted him - mostly because he talked almost non-stop, and could distract him from anything. He felt calm and relaxed, sometimes even enough to get some rest. Eren had been informed by Hanji the details of Levi's symptoms, so the Corporal suspected the boy could tell when his mood swings occurred. When he would get suddenly angry, Eren would actively pick a fight with him to help blow off steam. He would sit quietly if the man was introverted and sentimental. And when he was feeling arousal - which he knew the brat was oblivious to - Levi would set his hand on Eren's thigh or shoulder or arm to cool his emotions.

Dragging the kid down as a tool to relieve his mood swings certainly was not the way to handle his situation. Levi could not explain why it seemed that his hormones suddenly went wild when the brat showed up. Or why had he suddenly felt so much better after simply touching his hand.

And that was what he was afraid of. Levi had realized, the moment he grabbed Eren's hand keeled over the wash basin a few days past.

He wanted him.

Now, this was not because Levi was some sort of pervert, locked away and forced to get off to the thoughts of the only person he had contact with. He did not want to sleep with Hanji, in the least. He did not want to sleep with anyone, when he really thought about it, alone in his ward when the brat was not around. It was against all his better judgement, considering the kid was still a minor and also a half-Titan freak with a short temper. At times, Levi wanted to kick him in the face just to shut him up for three seconds.

But as soon as Jäger showed up in flesh, his body flared into full-blown, flush faced arousal. There was something about the way he stood, the way he smelled; the warmth of his adolescent voice, the presence of his being.

Levi did not just want. He wanted him.

And it didn't help that Eren acted so damn unaware. The boy would dote on him, sit close to him, look at him for a bit longer than a friendly glance. He seemed all to willing to allow Levi his occasional physical touch to calm his libido. It was actually cute, in some ways, his stupid little half smile. He was so innocent.

That was why as soon as Levi began entertain the idea of shagging Eren, that same moment bent over the washbasin, he killed it.

All he was feeling was just the hormones, Levi told himself. They, like all his other symptoms, would pass.

Then again, he was not sure.

"Captain, sir?"

Levi closed the thoughts away again. This was probably the fifth time Eren had called his name in the past ten minutes, anyway. He rolled over, opening his eyes to see Eren setting the broom away against the wall. He glanced to the wooden floor, which was visibly cleaner. It automatically made him feel better.

"Does it look okay?" Eren asked, green eyes searching for approval.

Levi knew he could have made him do one last sweep just to double check, but decided against it. He had done well, no use of annoying him anymore. "It's fine."

Eren's concerned expression lifted into a small smile, and he moved then to grab the chair aside Levi's cot and pull it up next to the bed. He sat upon it with folded legs, perched like a bird, like he usually did. Engaging in small talk was not one of Levi's most favourite of past times, but it did pass the time, so he put up with it.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"If by 'better' you mean slightly less like shit, then yes."

Levi rested gently on his side facing the boy, the familiar heat under his skin spiking warmer than it had been a few minutes ago. He did not want to risk sitting up, knowing even the slightest strain affected his fever. His nose was plugged, giving him a sinus headache, and his voice was a combination of this higher nasal sound and coarse soreness. It annoyed himself, to the point where he avoided talking. Eren did not seem to notice, or care.

"I guess that's good." Eren replied.

"Mhm."

"Armin just started getting it last night, and the day before him Connie and Christa both threw up during training! They're all on bedrest, like you, though their cases are more mild than yours."

"Did Doctor Idiot tell you that?"

"Doctor . . . oh, you mean Hanji? Yeah, she's gotten a lot of useful information about this sickness. She says that hopefully it'll assist her in her research about me - comparing their reactions to mine and seeing who did things differently. All I know it the illness lasted only about a day, which may be because my body can heal itself, just like how small wounds heal on me right away."

Levi nodded.

"But your sickness is . . . Hanji said it's pretty bad. That you're lucky to still be doing well. They're have been a few cadets who almost didn't make it, but with symptoms less severe than yours."

Levi scoffed. Sure, the fevers were irritating and not eating for days was getting to be an annoyance, but his worst symptoms were spontaneous hard-ons, and those certainly were not going to kill him -

As soon as the thought crossed his consciousness, Levi flinched and cursed under his breath; warmth began pooling straight to his groin, heat running over his skin. He was extremely sensitive today, this being the third time his body reacted in arousal. The feelings only seemed to get increasingly stronger with each bout. This was probably the worst it had gotten yet - and of course, it happens when the brat is here. Of all times.

Levi was partially distracted, seeing Eren shift in the quiet between them on his chair, revealing a small hardcover book from his back pocket that Levi had noticed when he was sweeping. He hadn't purposefully been looking at the kids ass, though. At least, he didn't think he had been.

"I brought you a new book!" Eren's eyes blinked, eager and excited suddenly.

Levi raised his eyebrows a little as he looked over the small novel. "Let me guess, did Arlert recommend it?"

"No, I picked this one myself. It looked interesting, something about two fighting families and some people who fall in love and die."

"Shakespeare."

The kid turned the small book in his hands, running his finger down the spine to check. He bit his bottom lip gently, and for some reason he looked goddamn sexy all of a sudden . . .

No! Levi clenched his fists, closing his eyes momentarily as he rebuked himself. Damn these hormones. I care about the brat. I enjoy his presence. That's all.

"'Romeo and Juliet' - you're right! Have you read this before?"

"No. I've heard of it. If you want to read it you better get started." Levi started to pick himself back up and lie down again - partially to hide the increasing bulge in his loose sleep pants - but Eren made a sound of protest.

"I . . ."

Levi waited. There was no more accompanying sounds, but by the way the kid was breathing Levi knew he had something festering in his mouth to spit out. He turned back, seeing Eren's face had deepened to a gradually darker flush, especially on the tips of his ears. His chin was tucked down and near the crook of his arm, shyly, and he fought with his eyes.

"What?"

Levi didn't bother to coax the cause of his behaviour gently. There was no point, really. Why waste time soothing and babbling when he could just say whatever he needed to?

Eren tensed at the question, as if it were a painful request. His eyelids dropped in creases tightly, and he whispered, "I ask your forgiveness for my behaviour yesterday."

Eren had already blubbered out a sorry probably ten times, and it was nearly irritating by this point. Levi creased his brow, showing the kid his confusion, "I said it was fine - "

"I should not have forced anything on you, it's just that . . . I know you have been unwell for so long that I wanted you to feel better and I thought that I was help but really I made it worse. I don't like seeing you sick and I was worried you would never get well again and - "

"Stop running your mouth."

Eren's body reacted in a worsening of tension, but when a warmth settled on the front of his knee it escaped just as rapidly in a cascading flood. Levi met the eyes that awakened suddenly, roused by the feel of his thin fingers, and he replied seriously.

"I don't care what kind of baka Hanji says: I am going to get well. You need not be worried whether or not this happens. You have other things to think about - "

"I can't . . ." Eren interjected, but his voice dropped out timidly. He repeated, "I can't . . . I-I can't - "

"You can't what?"

Fingers wrapped around his own.

The reaction Levi had to sensation of skin on his hand was internal and delayed. He forced his eyes to constancy with Eren's, though he wanted to look down to ensure the kids hand had seriously grabbed him. The pulse beneath his skin began a rapid accelerando, body reacting instantly to the touch.

"I can't stop thinking about you, Heichou."

Eren's voice was smooth in sudden bravery. There was no need of clarifying what he implied. It was like the question had always been there, and just now they were deciding to answer it.

Levi felt his mouth go dry. The room was spinning, and he could not tell if it was his sickness or not.

At that moment, it was one force against the other: mind and body. Levi had always been an intellectual, and his mind told him the best thing to do. He had gone over this a thousand times. Taking advantage of the kid would be stupid.

The best thing to do would be to move Eren's hand away from his hypersensitive skin, get up and take a nap until this massive wave of hormones passed him.

But everything else inside of him screamed in blood-curdling volumes to do what his body ached to do.

Levi focused back on the stuttering kid in front of him, whose warm hand clenched around his tighter as he spoke.

"I've tried and I've tried, but all I end up doing is just making it worse . . . I wake up and I think about seeing you and I get nervous when I do see you and I find myself watching you and I don't want to leave and when I do I think about seeing you the next day, and when you held my hand - "

"Eren - "

" - and at night I dream - "

"Eren - "

"- about you and me, and I-I - "

Levi rose with what strength he could muster inside himself and grabbed the kids collar, pulling him toward his face just a breath away from him.

"Shut up." He whispered, seconds before crashing their lips together.

His body won.


	4. Chapter 4

It was a shock to himself, having his body pressed up against that of Eren Jäger, and Levi could only imagine how shocked the kid must have been. He had to push himself up on the edges of his toes to maintain contact with his lips. Levi felt the insatiable hunger in his body find both release and tension, the sensation of skin against warm skin leaving him wanting more. His hands moved to dig into the mess of brunette hair, bringing their faces closer together in abandon.

At the moment Levi's lips took control of his mouth, Eren felt as if to collapse with the sensation. He swore he would have fainted if he had not been breathing so fast; a stunned confusion flooded him, thousands of questions coming to surface suddenly, but the way Levi kissed him distracted him from his coherent thoughts. At the same time, it was like a sigh of relief, all of his doubts about the Corporals feelings toward him confirmed. He wanted the gesture to last as long as it could.

It seemed, fortunately for him, that it might just do so.

Though he was unsure, Eren kissed Levi back, taking his face between his own hands. Something slipped between his lips, hot and explorative, and Eren forced himself to allow his tongue access to their kiss. Curiously, he tried such himself, feeling his lips caress and embrace it gloriously.

Levi's mouth was piloted by sensation, ghosting over the hot skin, the structure of his jawline, the elegant curve of his neck, applying gentle suction until he felt a shudder drift through the body. Saliva trailed an imprint as he pulled away and claimed the panting mouth once more.

Levi knew that his enflamed hormones combined with a stretch of abstinence meant he wouldn't last long; hell, holding Eren's hand had made him a trembling, quivering mess, and he was being bombarded with even better sensations then.

Levi was struck suddenly by that familiar heated edge of warning just as these thoughts surfaced, and as much as he wanted to avoid rushing the kid he didn't have much of a choice. They either had to stop, or keep going.

That, or Levi would be needing a change of clothes again -

"Ngh!"

Levi released a sound of surprise, lips leaving Eren's as the kid reached between them to rub against the centre of his passion. He was more than surprised at the bold gesture, feeling the fingers find his waistband with no hesitation to relinquish the ache he had been hiding for so long.

The gentle hand tightened around him, and he gasped. Levi could hardly react. At the touch, his stomach muscles tensed. He groaned, a strained noise. Levi felt the throbbing, hard ache between his legs beg for relief, pushing all at once toward the point of no return.

Levi half-consciously realized Eren still had his hand in his pants, and he spoke through ragged breaths in a desperate attempt to hold back.

"Pull out . . . move - "

"Move?" Eren whispered back, his grip shifting then to stroke him slowly. Levi cursed.

"No - "

He was too far gone to correct the kid, and it was too late. Levi was sent tumbling over the inevitable edge of pleasure, gripping the front of Eren's shirt with both hands, forehead bowed and pressed against the panting chest. The sound he released, he tried to hold back, but it emerged coarse and low like the soreness of his throat. Just like that, just like before, all it took was Eren's hand to get him off.

There was a pause, then, both physically and mentally. Levi felt his mind still hovering above in a blissful state, grip loosening gently on Eren's shirt as his breath left him in a sigh. He heard the uncertain whisper enter his thoughts faintly.

"Sir?"

"Hmm."

"Did you . . . did you just -"

Rapid and insistent knocking came suddenly from the direction of the door. In a moment of clarity and realization, Levi became aware of two very crucial things, all at once. One, Eren Jaeger had practically just given him a hand job and was staring down at him with something that looked like awe. And two, there was someone at the door - which, of course, did not lock - and the only person it could be was Hanji Zoe, who had the decency to barge unannounced into washrooms for god sake. If she found them, like this -

"Shit . . ." Levi tried to move, to steer himself toward the bed, but his body felt like he had just fallen from a Titans back and his legs refused to move.

Eren caught on, supporting his nearly limp figure carefully by holding Levi close to his own, steadying him. Bright green eyes were searching for so many things all at once and his mouth looked ready to run a mile a minute.

"Are you alright sir - "

Levi clamped his hand over Eren's mouth.

"Ask me later, Jäger, just get me to the bed."

Levi hated the harsh edge to his tone, but god, this situation could not get any more embarrassing for him. Eren guided his unsteady steps until he fell back onto the mattress, hushing the kid furiously at all the fumbling noises he was making.

"Levi?"

Hanji's voice had that suspicious, oddly curious edge to it; she probably sensed something was not quite right from the other side of the door.

". . . mhm. What do you want?"

"I sent Eren here, no? I haven't seen him - "

"Well neither have I, and I'm trying to sleep. Go check the grounds, he's probably out there communing with your Titan friends." Levi called back, seeing Eren's eyes widen a little in offence.

"Alrighty, but he if wanders over here give me a shout okay?"

"Sure."

"Sure?"

"Sure, yes!"

"Promise?"

Levi literally groaned.

"Yes, shitty-glasses, now piss off!"

"Glad to see you're feeling feisty again!" The voice replied with a hoot of laughter, fading away gently into silence again.

Levi moved the hand squeezing Eren's cheeks, and the kid sucked in a loud breath in relief.

". . . Corporal, did you -"

"I obviously did. Now go wash your filthy hands and report to Hanji before she comes back and finds you here."

Levi barked the order and shifted a little, retying the drawstring on his trousers. He could feel the kid staring at him, but could not get himself to look back. Not quite yet. Hormones now calmed and damped to a near normal state, rational thought screamed at him. Has he really just done that? Why had he just done that? And maybe most importantly, was was he not feeling as guilty about it as he should?

The boy at his side sat still, patiently waiting for an explanation Levi did not think he could give.

"Heichou . . . you don't have to feel embarrassed."

"Who said I was?" Levi bit back, but he knew the tips of his ears already revealed it. He turned his head away toward the wall.

"I know the sickness gives you mood swings. I was glad I made you feel better."

Levi shifted his eyes, finding the kind and genuine look in Eren's eyes impossible to argue with. He smiled a little.

"That was your first kiss, wasn't it?"

Eren perked up at the accusation, eyes wide. Just as quickly did he seem to cower, cheeks flushing the answer to his question.

"I figured."

"But I liked it -"

"It's not about if you liked it or not. I can't expect you to just make out with me and give me a hand job because my hormones got the better of me."

Levi felt a hand resting on his own once again.

"Don't pity me because I'm young. You aren't tainting any of my innocence."

Levi blinked, seeing the kid had regained a bit of his dignity, an edge to his voice that vouched for his proposed maturity. How quickly he could shift from an annoying little cadet to this, solemn and even-toned and stubborn as hell. Was he really falling for this? Another question he could not answer. Or, he didn't want to.

"I forced you to respond to my hormonal impulse - "

"I responded out of my own doing. I responded in the way that would make Heichou feel better."

Levi felt the hands upon his lap move slowly, stroking back and forth and awakening his arousal just as sharply as it had been before.

"I know it made you feel better, didn't it?"

Eren leaned closer, hovering his lips on the flushed edges of the man's ear. He could smell the scent of his hair, and even hear each breath Levi took. Eren's voice trembled, a mixture of uncertainty and anticipation. It was a low whisper that disappeared as soon as it was spoken in the increasingly dimming room, but it lingered between them.

"If Heichou is sick, then I am here to make him better."

Levi cursed everything silently: Hanji, the brat, his stupidly convincing words, the touch of his hand and his goddamn hormones.

And then, he kissed Eren again, this time determined to return the kid a taste of his own perfect medicine.


End file.
